"You are the same today as you will be in five years except for two things: the people you meet and the books* you read." (Charles T. Jones)
*interpreted to include stage productions and movies especially those connected with books

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

This Book is Overdue! (2010)

It took me a while to understand that not all people think compromise is a good idea. Librarians do. When I read the phrase 'Quakerly love of consensus' in this book, I realized that no matter how I turn away from it, I am a librarian at heart.

And although Marilyn Johnson is NOT a librarian she learned enough to reflect back to me the world I experienced. Her insightful comments validated many of my concerns and thoughts about where the profession is heading. Interestingly enough, what she discovers applies beyond library walls.

A non-library friend handed me the book she just HAD to check out because she loved the title. I started reading it to please her and became caught up in the world I left three years ago. In retirement I have tried to avoid fretting about the problems of libraries in our difficult economic world. But apparently I still do care.

The mostly disturbing section of the book for me dealt with Second Life. My computer won't support the graphics and I have been mourning my avatar who is waiting patiently for my return. In Second Life I could fly.

A number of other reviewers have not cared for the book and I suspect much of the book is in such depth that those not connected in some meaningful way with libraries (not just checking out those book which will eventually be overdue) just aren't going to care much. Me, I love Marilyn Johnson and I loved this book.